


Time in a Bottle

by pinkevilbob



Series: Time in a Bottle [1]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: All the mighty nein show up in some for or another, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-11-18
Packaged: 2020-10-18 23:56:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20647811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkevilbob/pseuds/pinkevilbob
Summary: Bren's favorite teacher was an odd one Astrid thought. It wasn't that Professor Widogast was a bad teacher, quite the opposite. Professor Widogast was infinitely patient with them and seemed to know the perfect way to explain the theories behind the spells they were casting for each student. The only thing was Astrid was fairly certain that Professor Widogast hated Bren.





	1. Chapter 1

Bren's favorite teacher was an odd one Astrid thought. It wasn't that Professor Widogast was a bad teacher, quite the opposite. Professor Widogast was infinitely patient with them and seemed to know the perfect way to explain the theories behind the spells they were casting for each student. The only thing was Astrid was fairly certain that Professor Widogast hated Bren.

The fact of the matter was that the professor seemed to be uncomfortable with all of the students of their year, especially the trio from Blumenthal but Bren most of all. Professor Widogast would make a point to not call on Bren, and whenever Bren approached him with a question, Professor Widogast had something urgent to attend to. Any other student Professor Widogast would always have time for. And yet Bren would never hear a bad word about him.

When Astrid asked Bren why he liked Professor Widogast so much, he'd just shrugged. "I don't know. There's just something comforting about his voice?"

"Comforting?" Eodwulf raised an eyebrow. "The man has the most monotone drone in the entire academy and that's an accomplishment here."

A faint blush covered Bren's face. "Look, it's hard to explain. It's like he just talks right? There's something that just feels correct about it."

"Are you going to leave me for an older man, Bren?" Astrid asked as she wagged her quill at Bren tickling his nose.

"No!" Bren protested batting the quill away. "It's not like that at all. Get that away from me!"

Astrid looked over at Eodwulf still threatening Bren with her quill feather. "What do you say?"

Eodwulf scratched his chin thoughtfully and then suddenly wrapped his arms around Bren holding him in a bear hug. "Show no remorse!"

"Traitor!" Bren screamed as Astrid began her tickle torture. Everything quickly devolved into a tickle war that was recorded in the history books of Bren's diary as a terrible battle.

* * *

Another weird thing about Professor Widogast(though there were many) was how much he looked like Bren. Though Professor Widogast's long hair was a duller auburn with streaks of gray while Bren's was a bright copper that hung at his ears. Bren till had some puppy fat and hadn't grown into all his features yet, but you had to be blind to deny the similarities. If Astrid didn't know better, she'd say that they had the exact same nose right down to the bump on the bridge from when he broke it jumping out of a tree when they were nine, but that was impossible. Or at least it should've been.

Professor Widogast seldom stood close to Bren for a side by side comparison, but Astrid didn't need to know that this was too similar to be a coincidence. The same unfortunately went for the rest of their classmates.

"There's no point in hiding it, Ermendrud," one of their particularly stuck up noble classmates said one day. "The only reason you're here is because you're the professor's bastard." Predictably, he and his friends chose one of the rare moments that Bren and Astrid decided to study without Eodwulf.

Bren focused on the book he was reading, but his hands were shaking.

"Though if I were him, I wouldn't have bothered trying to teach you. Commoners like you never become anything," the noble classmate said.

"Say that again," Astrid snarled. She didn't know much about offensive spells yet, but she had been practicing poison spray and wasn't above using it.

There was a cough behind them. "I too would like to hear that again." Professor Widogast stood there with his familiar lounging on his shoulder. The cat, though is was currently in the form of a squirrel, leapt off the professor's shoulder and onto Bren's head. It had a liking to Bren and Bren would talk about how he'd one day have one just like it. Meanwhile, it would just side eye Astrid.

"Professor Widogast," the noble squeaked turning pale. "I was just asking Ermendrud here what the assignment for your class was."

"It was to read chapter four of your transmutation manuals and have 4 questions ready to ask about it by tomorrow, but for you, there is also an essay on the difference between wizards and sorcerers and how bloodlines have nothing to do with the former. Three pages on my desk tomorrow by the end of class." Professor Widogast glared down at him in a way that would fill even a fully trained wizard with fear.

The noble nodded. "Yes, Professor!" He scrambled away with his friends as quickly as he could.

Professor Widogast turned back to Astrid and Bren with his typical mild bland look on his face. "You two are okay, ja?"

"Ja," Bren and Astrid chorused together. Bren looked at Professor Widogast with admiration, and Astrid had to fight back a frown. There was something that bothered her about the professor that she just couldn't put her finger on.

Professor Widojest awkwardly scratched at his bread. "Ja, good." He paused with a frown. "You, ah, know we're not related, right?"

Bren blushed and turned away. "Ja, I know." He was too thoroughly Leofric and Una's to be anyone else's, but Bren once confessed to Astrid that even he sometimes wondered.

"Good, good," Professor Widogast said absently. His familiar jumped off of Bren and scurried up his owner's arm. "I will see you in class tomorrow." He left with that.

"I'm still pretty certain there's a good chance of him being a long lost uncle," Astrid whispered, "if that's any consolation."

* * *

The first time Bren, Astrid, and Eodwulf met Professor Widogast's wife was entirely unintentional. Their intentions were to simply sneak out the academy, get some baked goods, and sneak back in without getting caught. The first part was successful, but when they got to the bakery, the plump tiefling that ran the shop decided it was her duty to spoil them. Especially Bren. Though to be fair he had always been too skinny, so Astrid couldn't quite blame the tiefling. By the time the three of them convinced her to let them go, all their pockets were heavy with goodies.

"Don't let your professor know," the tiefling said with a wink. "This is our secret."

It took until they got back to the dorms for Astrid to realize that none of them had on their school robes or any sign that they went to Soltryce.

Astrid tried to convince her friends to stay away from the bakery, but after a few weeks, she gave into the clarion call of pastries. They snuck out early in the morning as the sun barely started to rise and crept through the streets of Rexxentrum until they arrived at their destination The Traveler's Treats.

The tiefling squealed when she saw them come in. "You're back!" She picked out a selection of cupcakes including blueberry.

"My favorite," Bren said as he took one. The tiefling smiled smugly and Astrid glared at her while taking a cinnamon cupcake.

"What's got you so uptight lately?" Eodwulf asked Astrid as he munched on what the tiefling called a black moss cupcake.

Astrid frowned. "Don't you think it's weird how excited she is to see us?"

"You mean how excited she is to see Bren?" Eodwulf asked. The tiefling was asking Bren some question and he was answering her with an enthusiasm unheard of this early in the morning.

"I don't know what you're getting at," Astrid huffed.

Eodwulf finished his cupcake and brushed the crumbs off his hands. "You're the jealous type."

"Am not." Astrid glared knives up at Eodwulf and he just laughed.

"Don't worry, Bren thinks it cute."

Before Astrid could reply, Bren was waving them over. "They got brezels!" He held the soft twist of bread triumphantly in the air.

"Your boyfriend's weird," Eodwulf whispered.

"Shut up, you like brezels too."

The tiefling was bagging up various treats for them when a voice came from the back of the shop. "Liebling, I must be going." Just as Astrid was starting to place why the voice was familiar, Professor Widogast entered the main portion of the shop and placed a kiss on the tiefling's cheek. He looked up to see Astrid, Bren, and Eodwulf and froze like he had been the one caught sneaking out. "I, ah. There's an explanation."

"Cay-leb," the tiefling crooned. "Everyone knows we're married. You don't need to hide it."

But Professor Widogast eyed Bren anyways. "They shouldn't be here."

The tiefling smirked at him. "Oh, like you never sneaked out of school in the middle of the night."

"That's not what I'm talking about, Jester." Professor Widogast covered his face in his hands and made faint screaming sounds.

"He sometimes does that," Jester said casually.

Bren shrugged. "I do too."

Jester gave him a knowing smile.

"Can you please stop encouraging my students?" Professor Widogast asked weakly.

"Sure, but they're invited here anytime they want," she said.

The professor sighed heavily. "Ja, ja."

* * *

Astrid didn't fully know what to make of Professor Widogast, but she didn't think of him as untrustworthy. Until Bren started wince in pain every time the professor was near.

After they had been at the academy for a year, Bren started to complain about piercing pain in his arms, but there was no sign of injury. At first Astrid thought that he was just saying that to get her to 'kiss it better', but as time went on, it became more frequent and the look of pain on Bren's face more intense. The thing was, it would only happen when Professor Widogast was near.

Bren wouldn't hear anything Astrid had to say against Professor Widogast, but there was no denying that there was a connection. Eventually it got to the point where Bren could hardly pay attention to his classes.

"Professor Widogast is up to something," Astrid said.

Bren rolled his eyes. "I'm fine." He held up his arms. They were red from how much Bren would rub them, but other than that they appeared normal. "See, nothing's the matter."

"You keep saying that, but it's not getting any better. If anything, it's getting worse." Astrid placed a hand on Bren's arm. "I worry about you."

"You don't have to. I'm -" He stopped in the middle of his sentence and began to shake. Bren clutched at his arms and began screaming. "GET THEM OUT! GET THEM OUT!!"

Astrid stared at him unsure of what to do. Something was wrong with Bren, and she felt frozen and helpless. "Bren? You're scaring me, Bren."

He kept screaming, scratching at his arms. "TAKE THEM OUT!!!"

The door to the dorm room flung open and Professor Widogast was there. "Go get Eodwulf." He pulled a handful of sand in his pocket and started muttering arcane words.

"What are you doing?" Astrid demanded. She had no intention of leaving Bren alone with Professor Widogast like this.

"I have nothing for healing or stopping the pain, so I'm going to let him sleep through it."  
Professor Widogast finished the spell and Bren’s cries stopped as he fell asleep. “Now, go get Eodwulf. I’m not strong enough to carry him.”

Astrid hesitated and then nodded. She didn't want to leave Bren so vulnerable alone with the professor for a second longer than she had to, so she ran the whole way to find Eodwulf and made him run back with her.

Professor Widogast stood over Bren with a concerned look over his face. He leaned over like he was about to brush the hair out of Bren’s face, but he changed his mind at the last second and withdrew his hand.

“Eodwulf’s here,” Astrid said her voice sharp.

Professor Widogast looked up at them. “Ah, good. Eodwulf pick him up, we need to take him to the bakery.”

“Bakery?”

“Ja, I have a friend visiting there who can help Bren,” Professor Widogast said. “Now we must get going.”

When they arrived at The Traveler’s Treats, Astrid discovered that the friend in question was actually a pink firbolg. He smelled faintly of moss and tea and loomed over even Eodwulf. The symbol of the Wildmother hung from his ear.

“He worships a forbidden god,” Astrid said stepping between him and Eodwulf still holding Bren.

“That law was abolished two years ago,” Professor Widogast said. “There’s no such things as forbidden or approved worship anymore. Now let Caduceus see your boyfriend.”

Astrid stepped aside, but she kept a close eye on the firbolg. Caduceus examined Bren. “He’s still breathing. That’s great.”

“It’s a sleep spell; he’s not dying,” Professor Widogast said.

“He better not be,” Astrid said.

Professor Widogast coughed in a way that suggested that he was covering a laugh. “Come, we’ll take him to the spare bedroom.”

Astrid stuck close to Eodwulf as they were led to the upstairs of the shop to the spare bedroom. There were three beds. Two were similar to the single beds they had at the academy, but the third was larger. It wasn’t big enough for the firbolg, but it was big enough for Eodwulf, which wasn’t very common. Eodwulf set Bren down on one of the smaller beds.

“He should just need a healing spell,” Professor Widogast said, but he didn’t sound certain.

Caduceus lightly brushed Bren’s forehead and faint green magic that smelled almost like grass glowed under the firbolg’s fingers. Bren sat up and grabbed the firbolg’s arm. “Take them out, take them out,” he pleaded.

Astrid’s stomach dropped. “That was supposed to work. You said it would work.”

“It was supposed to. The magical resonance must’ve been stronger than we thought.” Professor Widogast looked ghostly pale.

“That was just our first try,” Caduceus said. “We’ll take care of him.”

Bren clung onto Caduceus in desperation. “They’re still in me. You have to take them out.”

“What are Bren?” Eodwulf asked.

“The - I don’t know. They’re needles but worse and they burn and take them out!” Bren cried.

Caduceus stroked Bren head and sprinkled sparkling dust over him. “We will.” The dust flashed and disappeared as Caduceus casted a restorative spell of the greatest order. Bren jolted and then relaxed finally letting go of the firbolg. But more interestingly, Professor Widogast flinched when the spell happened too.

Bren sat on the bed slowly panting staring at his arms. “The pain, it’s gone.”

“You’ll still want to sleep this off,” Caduceus said his voice a low rumble. “I have a tea that’s good for that. Perhaps you can help me with that?” he asked Astrid.

Before Astrid could say anything, Eodwulf stepped forward. “I can help.”

Caduceus gave him a smile that felt too big and had too many teeth. “Good.” He led Eodwulf away and Wulf clapped a hand on Astrid’s shoulder and then Bren’s before going.

“I’m okay now,” Bren said. “You don’t have to baby me.” He tried to get out of the bed, but nearly fell over.

Astrid caught him and shoved him back into the bed. “Do you know how scared I was?!”

“I wasn’t trying to scare you,” Bren said looking away.

Astrid held on to his hand. “Next time something like this happens, tell me. None of that ‘I’m fine’ garbage.”

Bren looked up at her his eyes as soft as his smile and Astrid remembered how much she loved him. “I will.”

“There shouldn’t be a next time,” Professor Widogast said.

Astrid jumped. He was so quiet she nearly forgot about him. “What was that? What happened to Bren?”

“Well, I can’t be certain, but I believe that he may have found a cursed item,” the professor said. “Despite our best efforts, an occasional cursed book will appear on our shelves at Soltryce. Which is why it’s important to first detect for magic when you enter an unfamiliar room.”

“Ja, I will,” Bren said nodded enthusiastically.

Astrid wasn’t so sure. There was something in the professor’s explanation that didn’t sit right with her, but she couldn’t say quite what it was. “Ja, Professor.”

“Is everything okay now?” The tiefling that ran the bakery, Jester, stood in the doorway. She was already in her nightgown and a small tiefling, barely a toddler, was balanced on her hip.

Professor Widogast nodded. “Ja, I’ll-he’ll be okay.”

Jester grinned. “That’s good. We were all super worried when we heard what happened to Bren.”

“But-” Astrid cut herself off before she could argue with them. There was no way that they could’ve heard about Bren and his curse. The only ones who knew about it were Eodwulf and Astrid and they told no one. But Professor Widogast was there almost as soon as Bren started screaming. It was almost as though Professor Widogast knew that it would happen. But if he did that meant that he must’ve been the cause, but his concern for Bren seemed so sincere that seemed unlikely that he would’ve done it. None of this made any sense.

The toddler on Jester’s hip reached for Bren. “Papa!”

Jester giggled, but there was a nervous edge to it. “Molly, Papa’s over there.” She turned her child to Professor Widogast, but Molly kept reaching and straining for Bren.

“It’s alright. I don’t mind.” Bren sat up more in the bed.

“Papa!” Molly nearly jumped out of Jester’s arms, but she managed to catch the squirming toddler and instead set them down on the bed with Bren. They snuggled into Bren’s arms. It would’ve been a cute scene, but instead Astrid’s mind raced.

None of the facts made sense alone, but they made even less sense together. There was only one possible answer, but it was impossible. Astrid kept looking from between Bren and Professor Widogast.

The professor broke off from the wall. “You three will be staying here for the next few days. To make sure that Bren’s doing better before returning to Soltryce. I’ll go tell the academy.” He pressed a kiss on his wife’s cheek and left the room.

Seeing her opportunity, Astrid followed after him. Jester gave her a smile and a nod before striking up a loud conversation with Bren.

The professor was half down the stairs by the time Astrid caught up to him. “Bren!” she called out. He froze where he stood. “I don’t know how, but you’re actually Bren, aren’t you?”

“I was afraid that you would figure it,” he said not turning around. “But I would’ve been disappointed if you hadn’t.”

“How? This shouldn’t be possible. Bren’s back there, but you’re Bren.” It didn’t make any sense, and Astrid just wanted to wake up and find out this was all a bizarre dream.

Th professor sat down on the step and snapped his fingers summoning his familiar. The cat jumped into Astrid’s arms and purred loudly. “We’re wizards, Astrid. We use magic to bend the laws of the universe to our wills. That includes time.”

Astrid sat down ho her step with a frown. “So, you’re from the future? But that’s impossible.”

“Yet here we are,” the professor said.

“So should I be calling you Professor Ermendrud?” Astrid asked petting his cat.

He laughed. “That hasn’t been my name since before I went to the past.”

“Why did you?” Astrid asked.

Professor Widogast sighed. “That’s a heavier burden that I ever want to give you, Astrid.” Him calling her by her first name reminded her that he was once technically her boyfriend. The boy she wants to spend her life with.

Astrid squirmed on the step. It wasn’t a comfortable thought. “You’re so old now.”

He laughed again. “Our first teacher was even older than me. I mean our teacher from my timeline.”

“What was he like?” Astrid asked.

Professor Widogast shivered. “Master Ikithon was not a good man.”

“But he died fifteen years ago.” Astrid had done her research on Professor Widogast and his position in the Assembly.

“In this timeline. You should also remember that I’m known as his heir and second cousin here, so things can be changed,” Professor Widogast said. Astrid couldn’t see it ,but she knew that there was was a cruel smile on his face.

Frumpkin moved up to Astrid’s shoulders and she hugged her knees to herself. “So you killed him?”

“That’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“But what about Bren? My Bren,” Astrid added. “What did you do to him?”

Professor Widogast ran his hands through his hair. “I wish I knew. It seems to be a side effect. He’s remembering the events of my past as they should be happening.”

“Should be?”

“In my past, we; that’s you, me and Eodwulf; we were being tested, experimented on.” Professor Widogast pulled down his sleeves and held up his arms so Astrid could see them. Small puncture marks dotted his arms. “It would’ve started a few weeks ago, but the tests didn’t become serious until tonight.”

“That’s how you knew to check on us,” Astrid said. “And why you came to the past; to stop the experiments.”

Professor Widogast scoffed. “That’s the least that was done to us. In three weeks and four days, you would be torturing and killing your first ‘traitor’.” The last word dripped with sarcasm.

It felt like the air had been knocked out of her. “But I wouldn’t.”

“But you did. I watched you and cheered for you. You did the same for me and we were nearly hoarse when Eodwulf slaughtered his,” Professor Widogast said numb of emotion. “We were to be the Vollstrecker, assassins of the empire.”

Astrid hugged herself tighter. “But that’s just a legend. A story you tell naughty children to make them go to bed.”

“In this timeline, yes it is. But in mine, they were my brothers and sisters and the reason I came back. To save my family,” Professor Widogast said standing up.

“And what if I said I didn’t believe you?”

Professor Widogast turned and gave her the softest smile. “Then I would envy you.” He stretched. “We should stop blocking the stairs and go back up. Bren will be missing you.”

Astrid could feel her ears turning red. “Really?”

“Ja, he thinks that world of you.”

“Do you?” Astrid asked.

Professor Widogast chuckled. “You’re more than young enough to be my daughter now. Not to mention that I’m very happily married. But, ja, there will always be a part of me that cares for you.”

“I don’t know what I think about you,” Astrid said.

He nodded. “I hurt your Bren, so I wouldn’t blame you for hating me.”

Astrid frowned. “You’re Bren too though. I don’t know if I could hate you.”

“Hmm.” Professor snapped his fingers and his cat appeared on his shoulder. “There’s one more thing we need to talk about. You know my secret. I can’t just let you run about with that knowledge.” His eyes turned steely cold.

Astrid froze. She knew that Bren would never hurt her, but Professor Widogast did say that he hadn’t been Bren for a long time.

“Which is why I will be tutoring the three of you personally to keep an eye on you.” Professor Widogast’s glare broke with a smile. “If you are interested. I don’t know if your Bren would want me as a teacher.”

“Are you joking? He practically thinks you hung the moon,” Astrid said.

Professor Widogast pulled a face. “Your boyfriend has odd taste in teachers.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I wasn't expecting to write a second chapter for this fic. Like maybe a spinoff sequel, but I couldn't start it right and then this chapter happened. 
> 
> I hope you like it.

It was quiet in the Traveler's Treats that day. Astrid was visiting the shop by herself while Bren and Eodwulf were off doing 'boy things', but she knew that they were actually looking for a present for her birthday. She didn't mind too much though. Jester was was fun to spend time with and treated her like an adult. Astrid looked up from the dough she was kneading for cinnamon rolls though and asked, "So, are you from the future too?"

Jester looked at her for a moment and giggled. "I was wondering when you'd ask. Yep, I'm from the other time line."

"And the same goes for your firbolg cleric, too right?" Astrid asked.

Jester nodded. "Cad is, yeah. So are a few of our other friends, but most of them are further south. Oh, except for the Brenattos. They're in Blumenthal."

Astrid startled backwards. "The Brenattos? But they've lived in Blumenthal for years."

"Nearly 14 I think," Jester said. "They moved there after we took care of some unresolved business."

"So when you got rid of Professor Widogast's old teacher and fixed the Assembly," Astrid said.

Jester stopped kneading her bread and put it back in the bowl to rise. "I think yours is done too. You don't want to over-knead it. But yes, they helped Caleb with Ikithon among other things."

"What else did you do?" Astrid asked. She tried to look nonchalant, like she barely even cared, but these questions had been eating her up for weeks and Professor Widogast would always say that she didn't need to know. Which was hardly fair, since she knew that for a fact some of it did involve her.

"Well, it was more Caleb and our other friends. Except Luc and Yeza, they were never adventurers."

Astrid covered the bowls of dough with hand towels. "But what all did they do? Were there other things they needed to take care of in our timeline?"

"You are quite the detective. They all had things they wanted to make right. Saving their homes and keep people they cared about safe." Jester opened the oven and checked on the cookies baking.

"And you didn't?" Astrid asked.

Jester shrugged. "Not in the daring adventuring way. These cookies will need a few more minutes. I just guided someone to a safe life, that's all. So now instead of being a crime lord, my dad's over a shipping empire, little me gets to see him nearly everyday, and my mom never lost him."

"Do you ever visit them?"

Jester shook her head sadly. "I don't have a place in their lives here. Besides what would I say? 'Woo, I'm your daughter from the future.'" She sighed and suddenly looked so mature. "No, it's better if I don't meddle in their lives anymore than I already have. They're happy as it is."

"And you're not jealous?" Astrid asked. She didn't know if she could leave everything behind to just make a different version of herself and her family happy.

"Sometimes, but I'm happy here," Jester said. There was a quiet smile on her face. "I can't imagine what my life would be like if I hadn't came back to the past. If I hadn't, I would've never fallen in love with Caleb or started my bakery. It's not the life I had expected, but it's a good life."

Astrid fiddled with a bit of dough left on the counter. "And what kind of life did you expect?"

Jester shrugged. "I don't know, a famous cleric that converted millions to her god, but that just wasn't in the cards when I came back to the past."

"Why not?" Astrid asked leaning forward her curiosity getting the better of her.

Jester looked out the window. "My god doesn't exist yet."

Astrid was taken aback. "What?"

"The Traveler didn't really start the whole being a god thing for another couple of years," Jester said. "And I don't really know if he'll still make me his cleric here or if he'll even exist after all the stuff we've changed. But it'd be nice to talk to him again."

"Do you regret any of it? Coming back here, to the past I mean."

Jester's expression turned thoughtful. "Occasionally, but saving you and the other scourgers was worth it. Not to mention all the other things we've done here."

"Scourgers? What are those?" Astrid asked.

Jester frowned. "Oh, Caleb used a different word for it. Voll-something."

"Vollstrecker?" Professor Widogast had mentioned them the one time he spoke of his past.

"Yeah, that!"

Astrid rolled the bit of dough into a ball between her palms. "Professor Widogast said that they, we, were assassins. Had you ever met any them, us?"

Jester's expression fell. "Yeah, I had."

"Did you ever meet me?" Astrid asked.

The time buzzed and Jester jumped up. "Oh the cookies! They must be ready now." She busied herself with getting the cookies out of the oven.

"Please, I have to know," Astrid said, "did you meet me? What was I like?"

Jester set the cookies down on the counter. "I'm not the one to ask."

"Your Bren's never going to tell me." Astrid rubbed her arms. "I need to know if I was still me."

"I met you, once. You," Jester paused, "were one of the most certain people I've ever met. But you were hurt. It broke Caleb's heart seeing what they had done to you. None of that matters now though. You're here now and we'll keep you safe."

Astrid wanted to argue that she didn't need to be kept safe, but she knew that no one would ever listen to her. So she just grabbed a cookie.

* * *

Life became hectic with school and training at the Traveler’s Treats on weekends. Their training there was hard, but that was partly because of how hard it was to focus there with how busy it was. Professor Widogast always insisted that they were capable of great things and always pushing them to challenge themselves, but he was also patient and was willing to give his students' an open ear if they had trouble, even Bren, though Professor Widogast was still a bit distant from his younger self.

They were all up to the challenges of school and training, but there were days where Astrid’s brain was screaming for a break and she was grateful to have a bed to collapse into. She shared a room with little Molly while Bren and Eodwulf got the guest room. Some nights Astrid would sneak out into the guest room, but that night all Astrid wanted to do was sleep. By the time her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

But then she woke up with a jolt. Her heart was pounding hard and Astrid was overwhelmed with an indescribable guilt. She rubbed her eyes to discover that she was crying. Carefully, Astrid left the room to avoid waking up Molly. When she closed the door, she turned to see Eodwulf was there too with wet eyes. “You couldn’t sleep either?” she asked.

“No, I had this dream,” he said. “Nightmare really. But I can’t remember what it was.”

“Same here.” Astrid rubbed her arm. “It felt so real though.”

Eodwulf nodded. “I feel like I did something I can’t be forgiven for.”

“Nothing is unforgivable if you can forgive yourself.” Professor Widogast stood at the end of the hall in a long striped nightshirt. “Or at least that’s what a friend told me once. But I I might have some explanations for your predicament.”

He stumbled forward a little and his wife squeezed past him. “I believe this is a conversation that would be be best over cocoa.”

Professor Widogast smiled at her and nodded. “Ja, I believe you’re right.”

* * *

Astrid stared her cocoa not touching it. It had cinnamon and not a single marshmallow or dollop of whipped cream on it, just the way she liked it, but Astrid couldn't bring herself to drink it. Jester was fussing around the kitchen with Professor Widogast trying to help her but just getting in the way. "So you know what our dreams are about, right?" Astrid asked loudly.

"Ja," Professor Widogast said softly, "I do, but wouldn't you like a snack first?"

"Stop putting it off. We want answers," Astrid said sternly.

Eodwulf stared at her shaking his head. "Have you forgotten that he's our teacher?" he whispered.

"I'm sick of this roundabout nonsense," Astrid said not bothering to lower her voice. "It's all 'we're not telling you for your own good' and 'we know better because we're adults' and 'you'll understand when you're grownup' and it's all bull."

Professor Widogast sighed. "I suppose that you have a point there. but it's a bit hard to explain."

Eodwulf took a sip of his cocoa. "Is this about how Bren's your clone or something?" he asked.

"What?" Astrid stared at her friend. She shouldn't have been surprised that he had noticed the weird stuff going on, but she didn't realize that he'd been asking himself questions too.

Professor Widogast burst out into a loud laugh and had to hold his sides. And it was so much like Bren it was hard to watch. Wiping tears out of his eyes, he shook his head. "Nein, nein, that's not the case at all, but a good hypothesis, I can see how you came to that conclusion, but no, I've never been cloned."

"Do you know how expensive that is?" Jester asked. "I've looked at it, it's not cheap."

The professor shook his head. "I have no interest in prolonging my life through any means. When I die, I die, but you are certainly correct about Bren and I being connected."

Eodwulf leaned forward. "How then?"

"What do you know about time travel?" Professor Widogast asked.

"That it is some that wizard could have the power to do in theory, but in actuality the manipulation of time is simply that, a theory," Eodwulf said.

Professor Widogast shook his head. "There are dunamancers that would love to prove you wrong in that. Time and even the forces of gravity can be bent to one's will if one studies the correct schools of magic."

"Like you did," Astrid said. She squirmed in her chair. She already knew all this; she wanted to know what happened before all that.

"I merely dabbled." Professor Widogast stirred his cocoa. "But enough to find ways to go to the past. To fix it."

Eodwulf snorted. "If you didn't want to tell us, you don't have to lie."

"He's not lying," Astrid said.

"But, that goes against everything we've been taught." Eodwulf got up and paced the room. "There are things that are beyond even magic. Even beyond the gods and they wouldn't allow it anyways."

Jester smiled slyly. "There was one who would." Her smile then faded ever so slightly. "But it was a one time deal."

“A lot of things are impossible, but that has never stopped wizards. Such as stealing Frau Braun’s famous plum pie without getting caught,” Professor Widogast said with a hint of a smile.

Eodwulf’s jaw dropped. “Bren?” He scarcely even whispered.

The professor nodded. “Ja, I was Bren once, but that was a lifetime ago. Before I even came back in time to change the timeline.”

“And these nightmares are connected to what happened in your past,” Astrid said. “What happened?”

“I wish you’d stop asking that,” Professor Widogast said rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Eodwulf stopped pacing. “Wait.” He turned to Astrid. “You knew?”

“I found out the night we brought Bren here. When he was, you know.” Astrid hated thinking about that night.

“I forbade her from telling anyone,” the professor said. “It’s something that’s best kept secret.”

Eodwulf frowned but nodded. “So what does this have to do with our nightmares?”

Professor Widogast poked at the marshmallow in his cocoa with his spoon. “It’s due to my presence in this timeline. It has caused ripples in it. Ripples you are feeling the repercussions of. There’s this magical resonance that bleeds between the timelines. Some of my previous students have felt it.”

“And that resonance causes nightmares?” Astrid asked.

“Somewhat. It’s strong emotions that cause it. Or at least that’s what I think. There’s not a lot of study that’s been done on this,” Professor Widogast said.

Eodwulf frowned. “I woke up feeling so guilty. I’ve never felt anything like it before.”

“Me neither,” Astrid said. “We did something in that other world of yours. You told me that we tortured people.”

“What?” Eodwulf went pale. “But we wouldn’t.”

Professor Widogast shook his head. “You as you are now wouldn’t, but in a different world you did.”

“And the guilt for what we've done finally caught up to us tonight?”

The professor’s hands shook spilling his cocoa. Jester delicately took the cup away from him. “You don’t have to do this. You can go back upstairs. I know enough to explain it.”

Professor Widogast shook his head. “Nein, it has to come from me.” He sighed heavily. “Tonight is the night that the three of us graduated. That is the night we passed our final test.” The look on his face told Astrid that she didn’t want to know, but she needed to. “Tonight was the night we murdered our parents.”

“What?” A chill ran through Astrid’s veins.

"You're lying," Eodwulf said. "We would never do that or anything like that." But he looked nervous and uncertain. That guilt they felt seemed so real.

Professor Widogast sighed and shook his head. "I wish that I was. I really do. But we did."

"No I don't care if you come from a different timeline. We would never kill our parents," Eodwulf insisted.

"Our original teacher was a very skilled man. He was good at manipulation and enchantments and getting people to see things his way. Manipulating a trio of country bumpkin teenagers was nothing for him. We believed his every word and were grateful when he hurt us, tortured us." Professor Widogast stared out the window. "We believed that everything we did was for the Empire and maybe that was true. Maybe it really was to make us at perfect at serving the empire without question. Last week we would've been sent home to visit our families, and there we heard our parents plan treachery against the Empire."

Astird shook her head. "Our parents would never betray the empire. They're not traitors."

Proffesor Widogast nodded. "That is correct. They wouldn't have and they didn't. New memories were plopped into our heads and we believed them completely. And we told our teacher, our master, about their acts of betrayal against the empire, against our home. So we then were assigned one final test. A final assignment to earn graduation. Kill our families."

"No," Astrid whispered bile rising up in her throat. Jester dragged over a garbage bin and Astrid was sick in it. The teifling patted Astrid on the back as she got it all out.

"We didn't," Eodwulf said his voice cracking and small.

Another sigh from the professor. "We did. You were first Eodwulf, then Astrid, and finally me."

"But, you're here now," Astrid said wiping her mouth clean.

"Ja, I am," Professor Widogast said. "You two became assassins for the empire. You weren't the first set that the Academy made and you weren't last."

Astrid stared at him. He looked so old and tired. "And that's why you came back. To stop us."

The professor nodded. "They called you scourgers, Vollstreckers. I called you my siblings. It is my responsibility to make sure that all my siblings have the chance to lead a normal life. A good life."

"I don't get it one thing though," Eodwulf said. "You said that Astrid and I are assassins. What happened to you?"

"I, I went mad. On graduation day. Not all of our teacher's pupils had the strength of will to become what he wanted," Professor Widogast said. "I was put in some forgotten asylum."

Astird had to fight the urge to be sick again. The thought of Bren shut up in an asylum was too clear in her head and was too much for her to take.

"It's okay," Jester said softly. "It didn't happen, not here. You’re okay and so is Bren." She patted Astrid's shoulder and Astrid clung to her crying.

“Are you going to tell Bren?” Eodwulf asked.

“Nein, he doesn’t need to know. We already cut his connection to me, so he won’t feel any resonance. He’s free.” Professor Widogast got up. “Our friend, Caduceus can do the same for you. The resonance is not as strong for you two, but it’s better to be safe and end it soon.”

Astrid pulled away from Jester. “I don’t want to. I want to stay connected to her.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s not an option. I’d rather not find out what would happen to you when she dies,” Professor Widogast said not even facing her.

“But that doesn’t happen for a long time though, right?” Astrid asked. “I mean you’re not that old.”

“You die in 16 years, 11 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days.”

Astrid froze and then tried to laugh it off. “Well, assassins don’t live very long.”

Jester twisted her skirt and looked away. “You didn’t deserve it. None of you did. I’m sorry.”

“Most people don’t,” Astrid said.

“Your Astrid wasn’t alone when she-” Eodwulf couldn’t finish the sentence.

Professor Widogast shook his head. “Nein, I was there the whole time.”

Astrid smiled. “That’s good. I wouldn’t have wanted to be alone.”

“I shouldn’t have told you any of this. This isn’t your burden,” Professor Widogast said.

Eodwulf snorted. “Have you met Astrid? There’s no way you would’ve gotten away with her not knowing. She’d hound you to the ends Xhorhas for an answer.”

Astrid glared at Eodwulf and then grinned. “He does have a point there.”

“Ja, I suppose he does.”

“So what happens now?” Eodwulf asked.

Jester got up with a stretch. “Now we all go back to sleep. It’s been a long night.”

“So you’re not going to erase our memories?” Eodwulf asked.

Professor Widogast looked like he was going to be ill and Jester shook her head. “Even if we could, we wouldn’t,” she said.

The professor nodded. “Ja, we don’t do that. Now off to bed with the lot of us.”

Astrid trailed behind the others deep in thought. She didn’t know how, but she decided that she was going to help the professor protect his siblings and maybe even protect him.


	3. Chapter 3

They were an odd group of adventurers when you got down to it, but Bren loved being a part of them. He joked about it being a second honeymoon for him and Astrid, and it was one that they sorely needed. She’d been awkward and distant before they left on an official assignment for Trostenwald, but she’d loosened up after they met up with their new friends. Though Pinkie and Cad, the twin cleric firbolgs, weren’t really new, and the same went for Luc Brenatto, who grew up in Blumenthal and was just a bit older than Astrid and Bren. But Beau, Fjord, Yasha, and Molly were all new.

Originally, Astrid and Bren were going to go back to Rexxentrum after taking care of their business, but then they went to the circus, stopped a frog demon of some sort, and ended up becoming friends with the motley crew they defeated it with. Fortunately, Professor Widogast was understanding and gave them permission to go along with the adventurers. "I'm still surprised that he agreed to this," Astrid said for the 58th time on their journey.

"The professor is a patient man," Bren said. "I think he was an adventurer too back in the day, so I'm not surprised that he sees good in taking time to go out and explore like this."

Astrid snorted and Bren found himself smitten again. "More likely he wants us out of his hair." She playfully pushed Bren.

"Oh come on, he likes us," Bren said. “He wouldn’t have kept inviting us over even after we graduated if he didn’t.”

"True, but that might’ve been for the free babysitting. Come on, we should be getting up. Picking up the Gentlelady's associate isn't going to be done by itself," Astrid said as she got out of their bed roll. “Your turn to pack up.”

Bren groaned getting out of the bedroll and went to work rolling it up. "Ophelia Mardun, right?"

Astrid rolled her eyes. "You don't need me to remind you of anything."

"But I like how it sounds when you say it." Though if he was being honest, Bren liked the sound of anything coming out of her mouth.

She snickered. "Fine. Yes, we're getting Ophelia Mardun."

"Then let's go get her." The two of them headed over to the main hut in the Blooming grove. The rest of their party were watching Pinkie and Cad finish up cooking breakfast. Molly was regaling them with some outlandish story while Beau rolled her eyes the whole time. Luc had his vials out as was his usual habit. Meanwhile, Fjord was polishing his sword with half a grin, and Yasha leaned back listening to it all.

Astrid sat down next to Yasha pulled out her notebook, her secret one that not even Bren was allowed to look at. Not that he minded. She was her own person and it was fair for her to have the occasional secret. He just wished he knew what was bothering her. It wasn’t unusual for her to have a furrowed brow as she peered over it and took down notes, but during the last few weeks it had become increasingly common. Worry hung over her and there was nothing Bren could do for her.

“Breakfast’s ready,” Cad said and a stream of firbolgs poured out of the hut. All of them were related and Bren couldn’t imagine having so many siblings.

With a snap of her book, Astrid got up and tapped Yasha on the shoulder. The barbarian stood up and followed her over to where Cad and Pinkie were. Luc hurried after them.

“There they go again,” Beau grumbled.

“What are you talking about?” Fjord asked.

Beau sighed. “It’s always those five. Anytime there’s something big going on, they break off by themselves to discuss it. Without us.”

“Interesting point, but that group includes the twins,” Molly pointed out. “I don’t think that it’s anything productive with those two.”

“But Astrid and Luc are there. They’re pretty sharp,” Fjord said.

Bren watched them talking from a distance. Astrid was still for the most part. Usually, the more she moved the surer sign that she was in a good mood. She was almost a statue. His stomach dropped. Something was wrong. “They’re all healers,” Bren said softly.

Beau stared at him. “What?”

“They can all heal. I mean, not Astrid, but the rest of them,” Bren said. “I, I need to go.” He got up and rushed over to where the five were talking.

“We kept Molly ali-” Astrid stopped as Bren got nearer. She turned with a look of frustration which softened when she noticed Bren. “Is something the matter?”

Bren frowned. “I feel like I should be the one asking that.”

“What are you talking about?” Astrid asked.

“You going off on your own to talk to four of our healers,” Bren said. “I should’ve noticed before now, but that’s on me.” He grabbed her hands. “Whatever’s going on you can tell me. In sickness and in health, I’m here for you.”

Astrid stared at him confused for a moment and then snickered. “Wait, you think I’m sick? It’s nothing like that. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Bren shook his head. “Yes there is. Something’s bothering you and you won’t tell me what it is!”

“There’s nothing to tell,” Astrid said tersely.

“Remember when I was cursed back in shool, and you told me not hide those sorts of things? Well, you can’t just hide those sorts of things from me either.” Bren sighed. “Astrid, please, whatever’s going on, let me help.”

Astrid turned away. “There’s nothing going on Bren. Just go back to breakfast.”

“No.”

She paused. “What do you mean no?”

“I mean no. I’m tired of it. Of just standing back while you’re obviously worried about something big and keep shoving me out. Something’s going on and I don’t know what it is and I can’t help you if I don’t know,” Bren said.

“It’s not my place to say anything,” Astrid said. “It doesn’t involved you anyways.”

Bren stared at her. “Yes, it does. I’m your husband and I love you. So if you have a problem then it’s my business.”

Astrid turned away. “Bren, just drop it.” She walked away without even looking back at him.

* * *

  
A glaive stuck out of Bren’s stomach and at the end of it stood a fearsome oni. Bren spat out a mouth full of blood. Focusing was hard and painful, but he wasn’t down for the count yet.

Astrid screamed out something full of rage and lightning slammed into Lorenzo. Bren managed to get away from the oni and limped over to the stairs. He had trouble stopping the flow of blood that was warm under his hand, but he noticed when Beau managed to stun Lorenzo. Stumbling to get up, Bren carefully took aim at Lorenzo and fired a firebolt killing the oni. “You shouldn’t have killed my cat,” Bren said before sliding back down to the floor.

“You idiot!” Astrid yelled running over to him tears streaming down her face. “You could’ve been killed.” After being ignoring each other for the entire day, it was a welcomed change, but Bren would’ve rather had her paying attention to him for nearly any other reason.

“That’s part of the job. And I’m fine. Just could use a bit of healing,” Bren said loud enough for the healers of their group to hear and ignore.

Astrid held him in a tight hug. “Stop scaring me like that.”

“I can’t really control crazy onis with giant glaives.”

“You know what I mean,” she said tightening her grip on Bren.

Bren sighed and hugged her back. “Ja, I know. You won’t be losing me anytime soon.”

Astrid shook holding him. “I can’t, I really can’t.”

“And you won’t. I can’t lose you either.”

An ugly cry choked out of Astrid. “You can. You’ll replace me. You have before.”

Bren tried to pull back to see her better, but Astrid clung on tightly to him. “Liebling, what are you talking about?” But she only cried. He held her softly and silently while the others checked the cages.

“Are you two, uh, okay?” Fjord asked.

“Ja, we’re fine,” Bren said. “Go on, we’ll catch up in a little bit.”

Fjord frowned a little and then nodded. “Alright then.”

They were left alone and Astrid clung to Bren like he was a lifeline. Eventually, she let go of him her red and irritated. “Do you want to tell me what this is about?”

“No,” Astrid said. “But I should. I should probably tell everyone.” She shuddered.

“It’s alright, I’m here. If you want, we can wait and you’ll tell everyone at once what you need to say. Or you can tell me first and I’ll tell them,” Bren said.

Astrid wiped her eyes. “You’re too good of a heart.”

“I’m good enough for you,” Bren said leaning into to her.

She laughed and it was weak and watery. “In eight months, you went into the past.”

“What?”

“You, your adventuring friends, and your future wife went into the past,” Astrid said, “to make it better and to save your family. You became Professor Widogast.”

Bren put a hand on her shoulder. “You’re not making sense. Astrid, it’s been a hard day. Maybe you should get some sleep and you’ll feel better in the morning.”

Astrid shook her head. “No, it really happened.” She pulled out her notebook and shoved it into Bren’s hands. “See, you wrote that, I mean Professor Widogast wrote it. You, you always had a brilliant memory and there were things that you needed done to make sure that everything’s done right, so you sent us out and I’ve, I’ve been trying to follow it, but things have changed and I keep not finding what he, you, he needs me to.” Fresh tears started running down her cheeks.

Bren flipped through the book and froze. It was all in his handwriting, but he didn’t write it. Details on each day of their journey and important places to stop. Astrid had made notes in it too. Mainly on what happened in certain places . Most recently there were frustrated scribbles next to Professor Widogast’s clear notes. “You’ve been doing all of this on your own?”

“The twins, Yasha, and Luc have been helping, but this sort of thing really isn’t any of their strengths. Professor Widogast has done so much for us. I can’t disappoint you, him,” Astrid said.

Bren stared at the notebook. It was crazy, but he believed her. “If he is me, there’s no way he’d be disappointed in you. Besides, he’s just our boss. We could get another job if we had too.”

Astrid shook her head. “You don’t understand.” She then went into a tale of manipulation and abuse, of grief and guilt, and of turning back time and second chances. “You don’t believe me, do you?”

“No, I believe you. This actually explains so much.” There had always been some that drew Bren to Professor Widogast. A sense of rightness to the professor. “I believe you. But what was that about me replacing you?”

Huddling in on herself, Astrid lowered her head. “You’ve met her, the Professor’s wife, Jester. She’s beautiful and perfect and I died in their world and you fell in love with her and you don’t really need me and I love you and I can’t lose you and-”

Bren hugged her again. “Professor Widogast isn’t me. He isn’t the one who spent the last ten years married to you and he certainly isn’t the one who is madly in love with you. And I have to question his taste and everyone else’s who says that there’s a more perfect woman than you.”

“You mean it?” Astrid asked.

“”Of course I do. If I were to lose you, my heart would shatter.”

Astrid pulled back her breath steadying. “I don’t know if I can keep doing this.”

“Then don’t,” Bren said. “We’ll go back to Rexxentrum.”

“But the list, the world. There’s so much to do,” Astrid said her voice fragile from stress.

Bren mentally kicked himself for not noticing sooner just how much this was all getting to her. “There are others who can do it. Beau and Fjord have good heads on their shoulders, they can lead this. Or we just take a break for now, just for a little while. You and me and some place quiet.”

Astrid laughed. “Is there a such thing as quiet for us?”

“You might have a point there. And if you want to keep going with this, just know that I’ll be there helping you,” Bren said. “You don’t have to carry this burden alone.”

Astrid leaned against. “I’ll need to think about it. Thank you.”

The two of them leaned against each other in the silence. “I love you with all my heart,” Bren said breaking the quiet.

“I know,” Astrid said, “and you have all of mine.”

“I know.” Bren would treasure it. Past, present or future, it would be his greatest treasure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fic where every single chapter did not go the way I expected it to, but it was still fun to write. I might another fic in this series, but we'll see.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I was thinking of how Caleb feels about the Scourgers and stuff and wants to change that past and this idea popped in my head. Kris/blanketbun from the widojest server helped come up with this universe.
> 
> I hope that you all enjoyed this.


End file.
